English Chess Federation

Representative Chess Match

Civil Service Chess Association v Insurance Chess Club

Report by David G Mills

The eighth annual fixture between the Civil Service Chess Association and the Insurance Chess Club was held at the Elmbank Hotel, The Mount, York. Situated just fifteen minutes walk from the railway station and within easy reach of the city centre, it has hosted a variety of chess matches, congresses and coaching sessions in recent years. Large murals, frescoes and a spacious oak staircase offer visitors a relaxing country house atmosphere. Respective team captains, David Mills and Geoff Naldrett agreed upon a two round ten board contest over the weekend of 6th and 7th May 2006.

Despite my efforts to include players from across the country, the Civil Service team comprised representatives from Yorkshire and Lancashire while our opponents were largely drawn from South East England with guests from York and District Chess Association. Both captains select players from a wide range of abilities and attempt to field teams of similar strength. On exchanging team sheets there was virtually nothing to choose between the respective sides, suggesting a closely fought match, however the first round scores surprised everyone present.

Playing at the rate of 36 moves in 1½ hours plus 30 minutes allegro finish, the Civil Service team amassed a staggering 8½ - 1½ lead on the Saturday – virtually guaranteeing victory overall. This arose as a consequence of a mixture of good play and good luck, however your scribe really enjoyed the evening meal! The Insurance Chess Club offered sterner resistance on the Sunday despite putting out a slightly weaker team, yet went down 6 – 4 in round two and 14½ - 5½ overall.

The Civil Service Chess Association acknowledges the financial support received from CSSC Sports and Leisure which funds a variety of chess activities. It is particularly enjoyable to mix with opponents over a meal and discuss a variety of topics as well as events on the 64 squares. On a personal note, I wish to thank my girlfriend, Karen Overrill, who supplied her car to transport the equipment to and from the venue and undertook most of the organisational duties that I normally have to perform during the match, thereby enabling me to play.

Round One

Board One. White: D. R. Sedgwick. Black: D. Wolstencroft. French Defence.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. Bd3 Bd7 7. 0-0 cxd4 8. cxd4 Nxd4 9. Nxd4 Qxd4 10. Nc3 Qb6 11. Qg4 f5 12. Qg3 Kf7 13. b3 Bb4 14. Bb2 Ne7 15. Rac1 Rac8 16. Ne2 Bb5 17. Bxb5 Qxb5 18. Nf4 Ng6 19. Nh3 h6 20. Qf3 Bd2 21. Rxc8 Rxc8 22. a4 Qb4 23. Qd3 Bc3 24. Rc1 d4 25. f4 Rc6 26. Qb5 Qe7 27. Bxc3 dxc3 28. Qd3 Qa3 29. Qc2 Ne7 30. Nf2 Qc5 31. Kf1 Nd5 32. Nd3 Qd4 33. Ke2 Nxf4+ 34. Nxf4 Qxf4 0 – 1.

Board Two. White: I. Lewyk. Black: I. D.Hunnable. Colle System.
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. d4 e6 3. e3 b6 4. Bd3 Bb7 5. Nbd2 c5 6. 0-0 cxd4 7. exd4 Be7 8. Re1 0-0 9. Ne4 Nxe4 10. Bxe4 Bxe4 11. Rxe4 d5 12. Rg4 Nd7 13. Qd3 Nf6 14. Rg3 Ne4 15. Rh3 Rc8 16. Ne5 f5 17. Re3 Qc7 18. c3 Bf6 19. Nf3 Rce8 20. Bd2 g5 21. Be1 g4 22. Nd2 Bg5 23. Re2 Rf6 24. f3 Rh6 25. g3 gxf3 26. Nxf3 Bf6 27. Bd2 Rg6 28. Rg2 Qg7 29. Bf4 Ng5 30. Bxg5 Bxg5 31. Re1 Bf6= 32. Qb5 Qf7 33. Qc6 Bg7 34. Ne5 Bxe5 35. Rxe5 Re7 1 – 0 (Time).

Board Three. White: P. Gower. Black: A. Jaques. Caro Kann.
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. Nf3 Nd7 7. Bd3 e6 8. Bf4 Ngf6 9. Bxg6 hxg6 10. c3 Be7 11. Qe2 Qb6 12. 0-0 0-0 13. c4 Rfe8 14. Rfd1 c5 15. dxc5 Bxc5 16. Ne5 Nxe5 17. Bxe5 Bxf2+ 18. Qxf2 Qxf2+ 19. Kxf2 Ng4+ 20. Ke2 Nxe5 21. Rd4 Rad8 22. Rad1 Rxd4 23. Rxd4 Nc6 24. Rd7 Re7 25. Rd6 f5 26. Ke3 Kf7 27. Ne2 g5 28. h3 Kf6 29. c5 Ne5 30. Kd4 Nf7 31. Nc3 Nxd6 32. cxd6 Rd7 33. Kc5 Ke5 34. Nb5 a6 35. Na3 b6+ 36. Kxb6 Rxd6+ 37. Kc5 Rd8 38. Kb6 Kd5 39. Kxa6 e5 40. Nc2 Rc8 41. Ne3+ Ke4 42. Nd1 Kd3 43. Kb7 Rc1 44. Nf2+ Ke3 45. a4 Kxf2 46. b4 e4 47. Kb6 e3 0 - 1.

Board Four. White: S. Appleby. Black: A. G. C. Paish. Queen’s Indian Defence.
1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 b6 3. g3 Bb7 4. Bg2 f5 5. 0-0 Nf6 6. c4 Be7 7. Nc3 d6 8. Ne1 Bxg2 9. Nxg2 c5 10. d5 e5 11. Qc2 g6 12. e4 fxe4 13. Nxe4 Nxe4 14. Qxe4 Nd7 15. Bh6 Nf6 16. Qe2 Qd7 17. f4 e4 18. f5 gxf5 19. Nf4 0-0-0 20. Ne6 Ng4 21. Bg7 Ne5 22. Bxe5 dxe5 23. Rxf5 Rde8 24. Raf1 Bd6 25. Qxe4 Re7 26. Rf8+ Rxf8 27. Rxf8+ Kb7 28. Rd8 1 – 0.

Board Five. White: G. Williamson. Black: D. Baillie. Nimzo-Indian Defence.
1. d4 e6 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bg5 c5 5. Nf3 d6 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Qc2 Bxc3+ 8. bxc3 b6 9. Be2 Bb7 10. 0-0 Rc8 11. Nd2 Qc7 12. Qb3 0-0 13. f3 Ba6 14. Qa4 Bb7 15. Rab1 Ba8 16. e4 cxd4 17. cxd4 h6 18. Bh4 Nh7 19. Rfc1 f5 20. Qa3 fxe4 21. Be7 Rf5 22. Bxd6 Qd8 23. fxe4 Ra5 24. Qb3 Qf6 25. e5 Qf4 26. Qb2 Qe3+ 27. Kf1 Bxg2+ 28. Kxg2 Qxe2+ 29. Kh1 Ng5 30. Re1 Qd3 31. Rf1 b5 32. Bb4 Ra4 33. cxb5 Rc2 34. Qb3 Qxb3 35. Rxb3 Raxa2 36. h4 Ne4 37. Rf8+ Nxf8 38. Nxe4 Ra1+ 0 – 1

Board Six. White: I. Thackray. Black: P. Cloudsdale. Sicilian Defence.
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bc4 e6 7. a4 Be7 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Be3 Qc7 10. Bb3 Nc6 11. Kh1 Bd7 12. f4 Na5 13. Rc1 Rac8 14. f5 Nc4 15. Bxc4 Qxc4 16. Bg5 h6 17. Bxf6 Bxf6 18. fxe6 fxe6 19. N4e2 Be5 20. Qd2 b5 21. axb5 axb5 22. Nf4 b4 23. N3e2 Qxe4 24. c3 bxc3 25. bxc3 Bc6 26. Ng3 Bxf4 27. Nxe4 Bxd2 28. Nxd2 Rxf1+ 29. Nxf1 Bb5 30. Nd2 d5 31. Nf3 Kf7 32. Rb1 Be2 33. Nd4 Bd3 34. Re1 Be4 35. Nb5 Ke7 36. Kg1 e5 37. Ra1 Rc6 38. Ra7+ Kf6 39. Rd7 Rb6 40. Rd6+ Rxd6 41. Nxd6 Bd3 42. Ne8+ Kf7 43. Nc7 Bc4 44. Kf2 Ke7 45. Na8 Kd6 46. Nb6 Bb5 47. Ke3 Kc5 48. Nc8 Kc4 49. Nd6+ Kc5 50. Nf5 Bf1 51. g3 Kc4 52. Kd2 Bh3 53. Nxg7 e5 54. Nh5 e3+ 55. Kxe3 Kxc3 56. Nf4 Bf5 57. Nxd5+ Kc4 58. Kf5 Bh7 59. Nf6 1 – 0

Board Seven. White: B. W. Atkinson. Black: G. M. Smith. Guioco Piano.
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. Bc4 Bc5 5. d3 0-0 6. 0-0 a6 7. a4 h6 8. h3 d6 9. Ne2 Be6 10. Bxe6 fxe6 11. c3 d5 12. exd5 exd5 13. b4 Be7 14. Rb1 b5 15. Ng3 d4 16. Nf5 Nd5 17. Nxe7+ Qxe7 18. Qb3 Qd7 19. axb5 axb5 20. cxd4 Rxf3 21. gxf3 Nxd4 22. Qd1 Qxh3 0 – 1

Board Eight. White: D. G. Mills. Black: G. W. Naldrett. Torre Attack.
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. c3 Bg7 4. Bg5 0-0 5. e3 d6 6. Bd3 c5 7. Nbd2 cxd4 8. exd4 Bg4 9. 0-0 d5 10. Re1 e6 11. h3 Bxf3 12. Nxf3 Nbd7 13. Qd2 Qb6 14. Rab1 Rac8 15. Bf4 Rfe8 16. Ne5 Nxe5 17. Bxe5 Nd7 18. Bxg7 Kxg7 19. Bc2= ½ - ½

Board Nine. White: A. C. Bullock. Black: S. Hulligan. Irregular Opening.
1. e3 e5 2. b3 Nc6 3. d3 d5 4. Ne2 Bd6 5. g3 Be6 6. Bg2 Nf6 7. Nd2 Qd7 8. 0-0 Bh3 9. Bb2 0-0-0 10. a3 Bxg2 11. Kxg2 h4 12. Nf3 Rdg8 13. b4 g5 14. b5 g4 15. Nh4 Ne7 16. f4 Qe6 17. f5 Qd7 18. a4 Rh6 19. Bc1 Nh7 20. e4 Rf6 21. Qe1 Ng5 22. Bxg5 Rxg5 23. Qd2 Rg8 24. Qe3 d4 25. Nxd4 Bc5 0 – 1

Board Ten. White: I. D. Strickland. Black: R. F. Collins. Benko Gambit Declined.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. Nf3 d6 5. e3 bxc4 6. Bxc4 g6 7. b3 Bg7 8. Bb2 0-0 9. 0-0 Ba6 10. Nbd2 Qa5 11. Qc2 Nbd7 12. Rfe1 Bxc4 13. Nxc4 Qc7 14. e4 Nb6 15. Nfd2 Nxc4 16. Nxc4 Nd7 17. Bxg7 Kxg7 18. f4 Nb6 19. Rad1 Nxc4 20. Qxc4 Qa5 21. Qe2 Rab8 22. e5 Qb6 23. Kh1 a5 24. Qg4 Qb4 25. Qg5 Rb7 26. f5 dxe5 27. fxg6 hxg6 28. Qxe5+ f6 29. Qe6 Rf7 30. Re4 Qb5 31. Qh3 g5 32. d6 exd6 33. Rde1 d5 34. Re8 Kg6 35. Qf3 c4 36. bxc4 dxc4 37. Qe4+ Kg7 38. Qg4 Qxe8 39. Rc1 c3 40. h3 Qe3 41. Qd1 Rb2 0 – 1

Round Two

Board One. White: D. Wolstencroft. Black: D. R. Sedgwick. English Opening.
1. c4 e5 2. g3 Bc5 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. Nc3 a6 5. e3 0-0 6. Nge2 d6 7. 0-0 Nc6 8. d4 exd4 9. exd4 Ba7 10. a3 Bg4 11. Qd3 Qd7 12. Bg5 Ne8 13. b4 h6 14. Bf4 Nf6 15. Rfe1= ½ - ½

Board Two. White: I. D. Hunnable. Black: I. Lewyk. Queen’s Indian Defence.
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. d4 e6 3. c4 b6 4. a3 Bb7 5. Nc3 Be7 6. d5 0-0 7. e4 exd5 8. cxd5 Re8 9. Bd3 d6 10. 0-0 c5 11. Ne1 a6 12. f4 Nbd7 13. Nf3 Qc7 14. Kh1 b5 15. Be3 Ng4 16. Bg1 Bf6 17. Rc1 c4 18. Bb1 Nc5 19. h3 Bxc3 20. Rxc3 Nf6 21. Bxc5 Qxc5 22. Re1 a5 23. Qc2 g6 24. Qc1 Rac8 25. b3 Qf2= ½ - ½

Board Three. White: A. Jaques. Black: T. M. Turner. French Defence.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. Ne2 cxd4 8. cxd4 f6 9. Nf4 Nxd4 10. Qh5+ Ke7 11. exf6+ Nxf6 12. Ng6+ hxg6 13. Qxh8 Kf7 14. f4 Nh5 15. 0-0 Qh4 16. g3 Qg4 17. Kg2 Bd7 18. Nf3 Nxf3 19. Rxf3 Bc6 20. h3 Nxf4+ 21. Rxf4+ 1 – 0

Board Four. White: A. G. C. Paish. Black: S. Appleby. Sicilian Defence.
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bb5 Nd4 6. a4 e6 7. d3 Nge7 8. e5 a6 9. Bc4 d5 10. exd6 Nef5 11. Ne4 Nxd6 12. c3 Nxf3+ 13. Qxf3 Nxe4 14. dxe4 Qh4+ 15. g3 Qe7 16. 0-0 Bd7 17. f5 exf5 18. exf5 Bxf5 19. g4 Be6 20. Bg5 Qxg5 21. Bxe6 0-0 22. Bxf7+ Kh8 23. Rad1 Rad8= ½ - ½.

Board Five. White: D. Baillie. Black: G. Williamson. Dutch Defence.
1. c4 f5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 d5 5. d3 c6 6. Nbd2 Bd6 7. 0-0 0-0 8. Qc2 Nbd7 9. Re1 f4 10. e4 fxe3 11. Rxe3 Ng4 12. Re2 Kh8 13. h3 Nh6 14. Nf1 Nf5 15. g4 Nh4 16. Nxh4 Qxh4 17. Be3 Nf6 18. f3 Ng8 19. Qd2 Qd8 20. Rae1 Qc7 21. c5 Bf4 22. Bxf4 Rxf4 23. Re5 Rf7 24. h4 b6 25. b4 bxc5 26. bxc5 Rf8 27. d4 a5 28. Ng3 Qf7 29. Nh5 Nf6 30. Ng3 Ne8 31. f4 Nc7 32. f5 a4 33. Rf1 Qe7 34. g5 Qd8 35. fxe6 Rxf1+ 36. Bxf1 Bxe6 37. Qe3 Qd7 38. Nh5 Qf7 39. Nf4 Rf8 40. Bh3 Bxh3 0 – 1

Board Six. White: N. R. Pearce. I. Thackray. Sicilian Defence.
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. Nxc6 dxc6 7. 0-0 Be7 8. Nc3 0-0 9. Kh1 Qc7 10. Be3 e5 11. h3 Be6 12. Qe2 Rad8 13. Rad1 Rd7 14. Bc4 Bxc4 15. Qxc4 b5 16. Rxd7 Qxd7 17. Qe2 Bb4 18. Rd1 Qe6 19. a3 Bxc3 20. bxc3 Nxe4 21. Qd3 Qf5 22. Kg1 g6 23. Bxa7 Ra8 24. Be3 Kg7= ½ - ½

Board Seven. White: G. M. Smith. Black: B. W. Atkinson. Sicilian Defence.
1. e4 c5 2. f4 Nc6 3. Nf3 d6 4. Nc3 g6 5. Bc4 e6 6. 0-0 Bg7 7. Ne2 Nge7 8. c3 d5 9. exd5 exd5 10. Bb3 c4 11. Bc2 Qb6+ 12. Kh1 Bf5 13. d4 cxd3 14. Bxd3 0-0-0 15. Ng3 Bxd3 16. Qxd3 f6 17. Qe3 Qxe3 18. Bxe3 h5 19. Nd4 Nxd4 20. Bxd4 Nc6 21. Ne2 Rhe8 22. Rae1 Nxd4 23. Nxd4 Kd7 24. f5 Rxe1 25. Rxe1 g5 26. Ne6 Rg8 27. Rd1 Kc6 28. Kg1 Bh6 29. Kf2 g4 30. g3 Bg5 31. Re1 Kd7 32. Rd1 Kc6 33. Nd4+ Kb6 34. Re1 Kc7 35. Re7+ Kb8 36. Rd7 Bc1 37. b3 Bb2 38. Rxd5 Bxc3 39. Ne6 Be5 40. Rd7 h4 41. Rd8+ Rxd8 42. Nxd8 hxg3+ 43. hxg3 Bd4+ 44. Kg2 Be3 45. Ne6 Kc8 46. Nf4 Kd7 47. Nd5 Bg5 48. Kf2 Kd6 49. Nc3 Ke5 50. Ke2 Bh6 51. Kd3 Bf8 52. Nb5 Bc5 53. Nc3 Kxf5 54. Ne4 Bb6 55. Nd6+ Ke6 56. Nxb7 Bf2 57. Nd8+ Kd5 58. Nf7 f5 59. b4 Bxg3 60. a4 Be1 61. b5 g3 62. Ke2 g2 0 - 1

Board Eight. White: G. W. Naldrett. Black: D. G. Mills. French Defence.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. Be2 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bd7 8. 0-0 Nge7 9. Na3 Nf5 10. Nc2 h5 11. b3 Be7 12. Bb2 Rc8 13. Qd2 a6 14. Rfc1 g6= 15. Rab1 Qd8 16. Bd3 Qa5 17. Qxa5 Nxa5 18. Ne3 Nc6 19. a3 0-0 20. Nxf5 gxf5 21. b4 Na7 22. Be2 h4= 23. h3 Rxc1+ 24. Rxc1 Rc8 25. Kf1 Kg7 26. Rxc8 Nxc8 27. Bc1= Kg6 28. Ke1 b5 29. Bd3 Kh5 30. Be2 Kg6 31. Nd2 Nb6 32. Nb3 Bc8 33. Nc5 Nd7 34. f4 Nxc5 35. bxc5 Bd7 36. Bd2 Bd8 37. Kd1 Bc6 38. Kc2 Kg7 39. Kb3= Kf8 40. Kb2 Ke8 41. a4 Kd7 42. Ka3 Bc7 43. Be1 Bd8 44. axb5 Bxb5 45. Bxb5 axb5 46. Kb4= Kc6 47. g3 hxg3 48. Bxg3 f6 49. h4 fxe5 50. dxe5 Be7 51. Bf2 Bf8 52. h5 Bh6 53. Be3 d4 54. Bd2 Bf8 55. Kb3 Kd5 56. Bb4 Bh6 57. Bd2 Kxc5 58. Bb4+ Kd5 59. Be7 Bxf4 60. Bf6 Bh6 61. Kc2 Ke4 62. Kd1 b4 63. Kc2 d3+ 64. Kd1 b3 0 – 1

Board Nine. White: S. Hulligan. Black: A. C. Bullock. Hippopotamus.
1. e4 g6 2. d4 d6 3. c4 Bg7 4. Nf3 e6 5. Nc3 Nd7 6. Be3 Ne7 7. Qd2 0-0 8. Bd3 b6 9. Bh6 Bb7 10. Bxg7 Kxg7 11. h4 Nf6 12. 0-0-0 d5 13. e5 Ne4 14. Bxe4 dxe4 15. Ng5 Nf5 16. Ngxe4 Nxh4 17. g3 Nf5 18. Rh3 Bxe4 19. Nxe4 h5 20. Nf6 Rh8 21. Qf4 Qe7 22. Qg5 Rh6 23. g4 hxg4 24. Rxh6 Nxh6 25. Nh5+ Kf8 26. Qxh6+ Ke8 27. Nf6+ 1 – 0

Board Ten. White: R. F. Collins. Black: I. D. Strickland. Queen’s Gambit Declined.
1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 e6 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. e3 h6 6. Bh4 c6 7. Nf3 Be7 8. Bd3 0-0 9. 0-0 Nh5 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. a3 Nhf6 12. b4 dxc4 13. Bxc4 e5 14. dxe5 Nxe5 15. Be2 Bg4 16. Nxe5 Bxe2 17. Qxe2 Qxe5 18. Qc2 Rad8 19. Rad1 Ng4 20. g3 Qh5 21. h5 Nf6 22. Rd2 Qe5 23. Rfd1 Qe7 24. Rd3 Rxd3 25. Qxd3 Qe6 26. Qc2 Qh3 27. f3 Qxg3+ 28. Qg2 Qxh4 29. Kf1Qc4+ 30. Ne2 Qb3 31. Rd6 Qb1+ 32. Kf2 Qf5 33. Ng3 Ng4+ 34. Ke2 Qc2+ 35. Rd2 Qc4+ 36. Ke1 Nxe3 37. Qh2 Re8 38. Kf2 Qf4 0 – 1

An interesting point arose at the end of the match when team captains Geoff Naldrett and David Mills discussed their individual second round game. It was the last to finish and the final stages were watched by several team members from both sides. The moves themselves need to be put into context.

Your scribe offered a draw on moves 14 and 22 but both proposals were declined. I felt that my opponent enjoyed a slight advantage and it was understandable that he chose to continue. As we passed the 36 move time control I assessed the position as even, however refrained from a third draw offer as it might be construed as off-putting. Any suggestion to conclude the game was left to Geoff.

White’s position had improved considerably as we approached move 50, albeit at a significant cost in time, and I played move 48 as the best practical option. 49. Bh4 wins for Geoff. With under three minutes left he either overlooked it or rejected it. Black turned the tide with the benefit of a few extra minutes and won soon afterwards.

Discussing the course of events afterwards Geoff expressed surprise that I had rejected his draw offers! This was news to me. I quickly realised that my normal policy of using earplugs to aid concentration had resulted in failure to hear them. Background noise at many of the local league venues where I play mean that such accessories are essential items. The offers at moves 27, 39 and 46 would have been accepted as black is not winning until move 50 onwards.

On this occasion I was lucky. Next time? The lesson is clear. Tell your opponent that you are using earplugs. It should avoid possible confusion and embarrassment. I had assumed that Geoff had seen me fitting them and would act accordingly. As my English teacher said many years ago. “Never assume! It can make an ass of u and me!”